Minnesota Weather: Up To 10 Inches Of Snow Possible

TWIN CITIES, MN — Up to 10 inches of snow could fall in the Twin Cities metro area when all is said and done Friday. A winter storm warning is currently in effect, and blizzard conditions may result from strong winds.

Travel may become extremely difficult as visibility is reduced by the blowing snow.

"This is a complex system," notes the National Weather Service.

"The main impacts will be late this afternoon through Friday morning. This is when the majority of the snow will fall. This is also when areas in western Minnesota will have northerly wind gusts near 50 mph. Blizzard conditions are likely across western Minnesota. There is a brief period this morning when a mixture of rain and freezing rain will occur before the precipitation changes completely over to snow. Little to no ice accumulation may occur."

Here is the current NWS forecast for the Twin Cities metro area:

Thursday: Snow, possibly mixed with rain and freezing rain before 4pm, then snow, possibly mixed with rain between 4pm and 5pm, then snow after 5pm. High near 35. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Thursday Night: Snow. Low around 30. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Friday: Snow likely before 3pm, then a chance of rain and snow between 3pm and 5pm, then a slight chance of snow after 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 34. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Cloudy, with a high near 26. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. West northwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. West wind around 5 mph.

M.L.King Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. East wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. West wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 28. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.